In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. I also grow a lesser number of open pollinated seedlings each year of these fruits, usually to reveal recessive characteristics. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of nectarine tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Rose Bright’. During the 1990 blooming season I emasculated an entire Red Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165) nectarine tree and applied pollen from Rose Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,421) nectarine. I harvested the fruit from that hybridization during the following summer, germinated their seeds, and grew them in my greenhouse. Upon reaching dormancy that fall, those seedlings were transplanted as a group to my experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). From that group I selected one seedling that produced yellow flesh nectarines with good qualities and designated it as “18P240”. During the spring of 1996 I gathered open pollinated seeds from “18P240”, germinated and grew them as seedlings on their own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted them the following winter into a cultivated area of my experimental orchard described above as a group labeled “18P240 (OP)”. During the spring of 1999 I selected the present variety as a single seedling from this “18P240 (OP” group. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of nectarine tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its selected pollen grandparent, ‘Rose Diamond’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,421) nectarine by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape and yellow in flesh color and that mature during the first week in June, but is distinguished therefrom by producing nectarines that are clingstone instead of freestone, larger in size, darker red in skin color and more acidic in flavor.
The present variety is similar to its selected seed grandparent, ‘Red Diamond’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165) nectarine, by producing nectarines that are nearly globose in shape, very firm in texture, yellow in flesh color and nearly full red in skin color, but is distinguished therefrom by producing fruit that matures about thirty days earlier and that is clingstone instead of freestone.